THE K I N O ’S BUS I NES S the blessing of Obed-Edom in whose home th e A rk rested. The au th o r does not say where he is, b u t he is evidently far from God’s house and he sits, down to m editate and dream upon its desir ability and loveliness. H is longing is for God H imself ra th e r th a n for any p articu lar place, tabernacle or cere mony. “All th a t is w ith in ” Him, Ps. 103:1, is summarized by th e three-fold expression, “My soul, My h eart, My flesh.” Even th e birds are happy and busy in th a t consecrated spot as they bu ild th e ir nests and rea r th e ir young while th e one who sings and dream s is far away. There are two Selahs and th ree Blesseds in th e Psalm . Selah is a m arginal notation indicating a pause in th e accompanying in strum en tal music to call atten tion to th e w eight of th e though t and invite meditation. In verse 4 we are called to m editate upon th e sta te of th e man who is continually praising God and in verse 8 to th e cry th a t is addressed to th e God of Jacob, th a t is, th e God who had been so patient, forbearing and condescending to Jacob. The th ree beatitudes are for th e man who is always dwelling w ith God and continually praising Him, fo r th e man whose streng th is in God and in whose h e a rt is ever th e th o u g h t of how he can approach Him and for th e man who “ tru ste th in God.” In th e conception of God as a sun th a t rad i ates glory and a shield w ith protecting grace, we are rem inded of th e pillar of cloud and fire, which represented the Divine m ajesty and mercy. When in th e darkness they needed lijght, He appeared to them as a b rig h t and shin ing sun. In th e day wjien they needed protection, He became as a cloud to shelter them from th e scorching heat. When th e Saviour le ft Ju d ea and sta rted for Galilee,, it is stated th a t He m ust needs go th rough Samaria. In th e ligh t of w hat happened in Samaria, we may in te rp re t th e necessity as a sp iritu al one ra th e r th a n a geographical one. The average Jew would cross the Jo rd an and go around by way of the d esert before he would place his foot on th e soil of th e h ated Sam aritan. An in teresting and instructive contrast may he drawn between th e man who figures in th e th ird chapter and the woman who appears in th e fou rth chap ter. Nicodemus seeks Jesus. Jesus seeks th e woman. Nicodemus sees a TUESDAY, July 29. John 4:1-15. Preparation for Worship.
674 pline. You would no t expect a black sm ith or a plumber to rep air a lady’s watch. “Considering thyself, lest thou also he tem pted.” A Christian puts him self in an o th er’s place. He sees th a t th e re is no fa u lt or sin of which he him self m igh t not be guilty had he been exposed to certain tem ptations and surrounded by certain circum stances. This though t no t only fills his h e a rt w ith g ratitu d e to God for pre serving mercy b u t makes him gentle, patien t and forbearing With those who go astray. SUNDAY, July 27. 1 John 3:13-24. Love in Deed and in Truth. Love can be created, m aintained and directed by intelligent, p ersisten t and adapted effort. When th e flames have died down upon th e a lta r they can be revived and fanned into a blaze if re plenished by proper fuel. Declarations of love have th e ir place b u t however frequ en t and ard en t, are fu tile unless supplemented by corresponding deeds. The emotion and sentim ent of love can never be divorced from th e deeds of love. John brings love down from the skies to th e earth and pu ts it to a prac- tcial test. “Whoso h ath th is world’s good and seeth his b ro th er have need, a n d sh u tte th up his bowels of compas sion from him , how dwelleth th e love of God in h im ?” This is th e ordinary and practical te st of love th a t comes to every man. We are blameworthy not only for tran sg ressing th e law of God b u t for no t expressing the love of God. While faith gives Christ to us, love gives us to our b ro th er. The love of God h ere spoken of, is th a t love of which God is th e au tho r, object and example. We only have to le t th e love th a t flows from th e h ea rt of God mani fest itself th rough th e benefactions of daily life: Mere professions of love do not clothe th e naked nor feed the hun gry nor h eal th e sick. The proof th a t th e love of God is in th e h e a rt is seen in th e helping hand. To love in tongue and no t in tru th is the very hypocrisy of love. The g reatest blessing and the highest honor th a t can ever come to man, is to be a channel th rough which th e river of God’s love can flow. MONDAY, July 28. Psalm 84. Longing for God’s House. This Psalm has been called th e dream of one whose h e a rt is wholly given up to God. I t seems a lingering echo of
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